Wilcslandian Monarchy
The monarchy of the Kingdom of Wilcsland (commonly referred to as the Wilcslandian monarchy) is the absolute monarchy ruling over the Kingdom of Wilcsland and its sub-kingdoms and vassal states. The present monarch, King Declan I, II & V, has been King of the various predeccessor states of Wilcsland since 1 May 2002 with an interruption of only one week in the summer of 2006, ruling over Wilcsland since it was founded in November 2010. The official title of the King is King of Wilcsland, Taklamacan and Corran. The ceremonial full title, used only in the full style of the monarch, is King of Wilcsland, Taklamacan, the Midway Hills, Frozen Alters and Corran. Role The King undertakes various official, ceremonial and representational duties. As an absolute monarch, the King holds absolute power over executive, legislative, and judicial matters. The King is the main representative of Wilcsland in foreign affairs, and holds total control over all domestic government. The King has the power to appoint members of government, and bestow and revoke titles of nobility. Despite the power that the King has over the nation, it is clear that he only holds it through the will of the people. Declan I has said "my people are my care" and "I work for you, not you for me". Although absolute, the Wilcslandian monarchy is also a popular one. A good example of how the population ultimately holds more political power than the monarch is when, in November 2010, Moylurg transitioned into Wilcsland - King Jonathan I, titular joint King of Moylurg, was not deposed by King Declan I as they held nominally equal power; instead, Jonathan I was deposed by an assembly of the people who were displeased at having a foreigner share the rank and title of Declan I. History The Wilcslandian monarchy traces its origins from the monarchy of the Kingdom of South Bank and the monarchy of the Kingdom of Moylurg. South Bank, founded in May 2002, transitioned into the Kingdom of Atlantis in September 2003, and then in October 2005 transitioned into the Kingdom of the Taklamacan. The Kingdom of Moylurg was then created by the King of the Taklamacan in June 2009. The Taklamacan unified with the Kingdom of Moylurg in March 2010 to create the Empire of Moylurg - for roughly a month, the monarch held the title of Emperor instead of King, but in April 2010 the Empire transitioned back into a Kingdom. This unifed Kingdom then transitioned into the present-day Kingdom of Wilcsland in November 2010. The King of Wilcsland is also monarch of several other realms and nations, holding these thrones in either political or personal union (often with very little practical difference). The kingdoms of Saqqara and Thebes have been sub-kingdoms of the Wilcslandian monarchy since Saqqara was founded by and Thebes was conquered by the Kingdom of Atlantis in late 2003. Both thrones are currently in personal union with the King of Wilcsland, although in the past the throne of Thebes has sometimes been granted to others for a period of a few months, meaning that Declan I is currently serving his third non-consecutive reign as King of Thebes. The Kingdom of Corran was a sub-kingdom of the Taklamacan until Moylurg was founded, when both the Taklamacan and Corran became Moylurgian Commonwealth Realms. Both were politically unified into Moylurg in March 2010, and the full title of the Wilcslandian monarch is now "King of Wilcsland, Taklamacan and Corran". The influence of the Wilcslandian monarchy has spread far outside of Wilcsland and its local area. In July 2010, the King of Moylurg was appointed King of Copan, and despite being ruled through an Austenasian viceroy, Copan became an unofficial vassal state of Moylurg, and later Wilcsland. The whole of the Carshalton Sector has been under the rule of the Wilcslandian monarch since December 2010 - Declan I took advantage of an interregnum in the Kingdom of the Grove to unify it with Copan, founding the Tsardom of Orly and provoking the overlord of the Sector, Emperor Esmond III of Austenasia, into starting the War of the Orlian Reunification. A local nation allied with Orly, the Midget Nation-in-Exile, declared Declan I to be the Fifth Midget Master, entering the Midget Nation into personal union with Wilcsland. With the support of the Midgets, the forces of Declan I were able to defeat those of Esmond III, and Declan I was declared joint Emperor of Austenasia and King of Rushymia. Another notable instance of the influence of the Wilcslandian monarchy spreading abroad is when the leader of the Kingdom of Etarnia asked for Declan I to become their monarch. Despite a long period of no contact during which he continued to claim the title King of Etarnia, Declan I, II & V has recently become monarch of Etarnia's successor state, the Union of Ctorian Royal Kingdoms, which he rules as joint Kaiser. Succession It is unclear to whom the throne will pass to, and how, after the death or abdication of Declan I. The only other monarch to have held the throne was Joshua I of the Taklamacan for a week in 2006 - he deposed Declan I by force, and was in turn deposed by Declan I by force, and so this temporary transfer of the throne can not be used as a precedent. Declan I has often referred to his brother, Prince Ciaran, as heir, even giving him the throne of Thebes for a few months in early 2010 to "practice" being a monarch. It has therefore been assumed that succession is governed by male-preference cognatic primogeniture, as in most European monarchies. However, after giving Prince Ciaran the throne of Thebes in March 2010, Declan I removed it from him in early May later that year, giving his supposed incompetence at ruling as the reason for doing so. At the time, Declan I himself said that Ciaran "might not become Moylurg's next monarch". Indeed, when Declan I threatened to abdicate the following month, he named Crown Prince Jonathan of Austenasia his heir in his instrument of abdication (which was never signed and evenutally discarded). Ciaran was made King-Regent of Wilcsland in February 2011 - despite this latest short reign only spanning the better part of two days, this may show that Declan I has begun to trust his brother more with the running of the nation. Despite the doubt over Prince Ciaran's suitability for the throne, and there being no formal succession law, the most likely scenario will be that after the death or abdication of Declan I, the throne of Wilcsland and its sub-kingdoms will pass to Prince Ciaran. However, Orly (being merely a vassal state and not in political union with Wilcsland) would most likely choose its own monarch and maybe even break away from Wilcsland's influence. The Throne of Austenasia would pass to Crown Prince Jonathan, but he would probably again refuse it, in which case it would pass to his sister, Princess Caroline. Co-monarchs, usurpers, and vassal monarchs There have been several usurpers during the reign of Declan I, and he has also appointed many vassal and co-monarchs. King-Regents and Queen-Regents are co-rulers that, while sharing the royal style and powers of Declan I, are titularly subservient to him and he may remove from power at any time. The only co-monarch to have had equal power to Declan I was Jonathan I, who was only ever referred to as "King" and not "King-Regent" - although his power was nominal, he was deposed by an assembly of the people rather than Declan I. Co-monarchs Those who Declan I has raised to the throne alongside him: *'Frances I, Empress-Regent of Deleckshum and Queen-Regent of Moylurg': 10 July 2009 (Deleckshum)/11 September 2009 (Moylurg) - 13 October 2009 *'Laura I, Queen-Regent of Moylurg and Queen-Regent of Corran': 9 February 2010 - 7 March 2010 (Corran)/1 May 2010 (Moylurg) *'Jonathan I, King of Moylurg': 19 October 2010 - 10 November 2010 *'Frances I/Arsinoe I Selene, Queen-Regent of Wilcsland': 17 November 2010 - 15 February 2011 *'Ptolemy II Alexander II, King-Regent of Wilcsland': 15 - 16 February 2011 *'Berenice I, Queen-Regent of Wilcsland': 16 February 2011 *'Arsinoe II Cleopatra I, Queen-Regent of Wilcsland': 16 - 21 February 2011 *'Ptolemy III Helios II, King-Regent of Wilcsland': 21 February 2011 - 12 March 2011 *'Arsinoe III, Queen-Regent of Wilcsland': 27 - 31 August 2011 Usurpers Those who have proclaimed themselves monarch and attempted to overthrow Declan I: *'Barry I of South Bank': Took over the northern half of South Bank during June 2002. Defeated in a civil war. *'Alexander I of the Taklamacan': Seized control over half of the Taklamacan for a short period of time in late 2005. Rebellion crushed. *'Pope Alexander I': Led a conspiracy to become monarch in late 2005, and attempted to take over the Taklamacan in early 2010. Arrested for treason both times before he could seize power. *'Joshua I of the Taklamacan': The only monarch to have ever successfully deposed Declan I. Held the throne for a week of chaos before being overthrown. *'Joshua II of the Taklamacan': Took over half of the Taklamacan for a short period of time in early 2007. Surrendered after a brief civil war. Vassal monarchs Those who have ruled over the sub-kingdoms and vassal states of Wilcsland: *'John I, King of Saqqara': October - November 2003, ruled over Saqqara as a vassal to the King of Atlantis. *'Unknown monarch(s) of Corran': Late 2007 - October 2009, ruled over Corran as a vassal to the King of the Taklamacan. *'Ciaran II & III, King of Thebes': 5 March 2010 - 1 May 2010, ruled over Thebes as a vassal of the King/Emperor of Moylurg. *'Declan I, Tsar of Orly': 8 December 2010 - present, rules over Orly, technically as a vassal to himself as King of Wilcsland. *'Frances I, Tsarina of Orly': 8 December 2010 - 15 February 2011, ruled over Orly as a vassal to the King of Wilcsland. *'James I & IV, King of Thebes': 18 December 2010 - 10 February 2011, ruled over Thebes as a vassal of the King of Wilcsland. *'Calum I, King of the Grove': 13 January 2011 - present, rules over the Grove under the Viceroy of Orly and as a vassal to the Tsar of Orly (himself a vassal of the King of Wilcsland). *'Ptolemy I Alexander, Tsar of Orly': 15 - 16 February 2011, ruled over Orly as a vassal to the King of Wilcsland. *'Berenice I, Tsarina of Orly': 16 February 2011, ruled over Orly as a vassal to the King of Wilcsland. *'Arsinoe I Cleopatra, Tsarina of Orly': 16 - 21 February 2011, ruled over Orly as a vassal to the King of Wilcsland. *'Ptolemy II Helios, Tsar of Orly': 21 February 2011 - 12 March 2011, ruled over Orly as a vassal to the King of Wilcsland. *'Miles, Prince of Copan': 8 March 2011 - 24 April 2011, ruled over Copan under the Viceroy of Orly and as a vassal to the Tsar of Orly (himself a vassal of the King of Wilcsland). *'Joseph, Prince of Copan': 24 April 2011 - 2 August 2011, ruled over Copan under the Viceroy of Orly and as a vassal to the Tsar of Orly (himself a vassal of the King of Wilcsland). *'Esmond, Prince of Copan': 2 August 2011 - present, rules over Copan under the Viceroy of Orly and as a vassal to the Tsar of Orly (himself a vassal of the King of Wilcsland). *'Arsinoe II, Tsarina of Orly': 27 - 31 August 2011, ruled over Orly as a vassal to the King of Wilcsland.